Memo Pad: Power Moves… EMap’s Review Continues… Extra, Extra…

Meredith Vieira's shift to "The Today Show" was a smart career move, according to Forbes.

POWER MOVES:Meredith Vieira’s shift to co-anchor of “The Today Show” was a smarter career move than Katie Couric’s arrival at CBS Nightly News, according to Forbes’ annual ranking of the World’s Most Powerful Women. The two women, along with “Good Morning America” anchor Diane Sawyer, were included on the list of the magazine’s top 100 women in business, politics, media and fashion. Vieira ranked 55th on the list, jumping up 14 places from her rank last year. Couric, meanwhile, dropped to 63rd this year from 54th in 2006. Sawyer ranked 60th on the list, compared to last year’s rank of 62nd. Couric’s struggles to find her footing on the evening news program have been widely documented by media observers. Meanwhile, “Meredith made a seamless entry into the nation’s top morning show,” said Forbes senior editor Elizabeth MacDonald, who edited the list. “She has an exceptionally high Q-rating, and solid experience in both hard news and daytime television. ‘Today Show’ advertisers and audiences alike have responded favorably to Meredith.”

The New York Times chief executive Janet Robinson earned a big jump in the rankings, moving to 45th this year from 74th last year. During her tenure, as the Internet continues to gather more ad revenue from traditional media, Robinson has spearheaded a number of changes at the paper in an attempt to boost the bottom line, such as cutting its trim size and increasing the subscription and cover price. “She’s come up with a do-or-die growth strategy that will decide the fate of the paper,” said MacDonald.

EMAP’S REVIEW CONTINUES: Emap, the British publishing giant, which last month revealed a strategic review of its business and assets, said in a statement Thursday that it had received “further interest for all parts of the group,” which comprises consumer publications, B2B titles and a radio division, and said the company “will be providing information to interested parties over the next few weeks.”

“The board remains focused on examining all options to maximize shareholder value, including a possible sale or demerger of the constituent parts of the group,” Emap said in the statement.

As reported, the company is considering selling its consumer, B2B and radio divisions either separately or as a whole. A spokesman for Emap said the company didn’t plan to sell off individual titles, such as Grazia and the fashion Web site WGSN, to separate publishers. Industry sources say it’s also possible Emap may retain one or all of its divisions, and is looking for a new chief executive in addition to undertaking the review process.

The company said it will provide an update on the progress of the review Nov. 13, when it releases its interim results. As reported, Apax Partners, the Italian publisher Mondadori and Guardian Media have all expressed an interest in purchasing parts of the company.

Emap added in the statement that trading since its last update had been “encouraging,” adding that although revenue growth in its consumer magazine division remained “challenging,” it expected operational efficiency initiatives to deliver benefits to the sector, and that Emap’s B2B division had delivered strong underlying revenue growth. — Nina Jones

EXTRA, EXTRA:Stefano Pilati is taking his fashion message to the street, literally. Yves Saint Laurent plans to distribute two million copies of an advertising vehicle in newspaper form dubbed “Manifesto,” starting Sept. 6 and 7 in New York during fashion week. The 20-page journal, printed on recycled paper, will run as an insert in some print publications, including The New York Times, but most will be handed out in various cities: outside subway stations in Paris on Sept. 12, and during two other fashion weeks — London on Sept. 17 and Milan on Sept. 28. The tactic echoes the theme of YSL’s current fall-winter campaign, shot by Ines van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin and featuring model Gisele Bündchen on the streets of Paris’ Ile Saint-Louis at night. The Manifesto will also be declared in virtual form when the French firm’s new Web site goes live the week of Sept. 10. — Miles Socha

WHAT RUNWAYS?: As fashion editors gear up for the fall shows and the end of summer langour, former Marie Claire and Redbook editor in chief Lesley Jane Seymour is prepping to go back to school. She’ll teach the magazine half of “Introduction to Traditional and New Media,” a core course in the masters’ publishing program at New York University, and a continuing education course on magazine editing in the spring. “One of the great joys of being an editor in chief was bringing up the ‘kids’ — finding those stars who would go on to do so many things,” she said. Seymour is taking over teaching duties for her former executive editor, Patrice Adcroft, busy editing at Discover. Both were replaced just over a year ago by Joanna Coles and Lucy Kaylin, respectively. — Irin Carmon

POACHING TALENT: O, The Oprah Magazine has hired Deena Greenberg as fashion-jewelry advertising director. Greenberg was previously accessories advertising director at Vogue. Prior to that, she served as beauty ad director at Self from 2000 to 2004, and held various positions at Max Racks, Premiere and Rolling Stone. Greenberg replaces James D’Adamo, who joined Hearst Integrated Marketing as group advertising director in July. Greenberg takes her new post Sept. 17. — S.D.S.

A CERTAIN AGE: More magazine’s eighth annual 40-plus model search has snagged its designer partner. Heidi Weisel will dress finalists next February and judge the competition. “These are exactly the kinds of women I like to dress — accomplished, beautiful and ageless,” said Weisel. More’s fashion and beauty director, Lois Joy Johnson, called Weisel “the thinking woman’s designer,” and said coverage of her clothes always elicited reader e-mails and calls. Sixteen-thousand women competed last year to win a package that included a Wilhemina modeling contact, a fashion spread in More and sponsor gifts. — I.C.

UP THE LADDER: Departures has promoted from within for its open senior positions, though two mid-level hires are still expected. Stellene Vollanes has been promoted from senior editor for fashion and jewelry to style editor, overseeing all the style content in the magazine in addition to producing the fashion pages. Stephen Wallis, formerly senior editor, has been promoted to deputy editor, taking on top-editing responsibilities. — I.C.

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